HTC Early Childhood Centers
School Board Report - April 2010
Melissa Pieper, Director

Faith Development:

1. We have decided to use the Our Sunday Visitor religion program for the preschool students.  This religion program explains religion to students in terms they can understand.  The preschool teachers really enjoy this program and are excited to use it. 

Instructional Leadership/Curriculum:

1. I am checking to make sure that all of the ECC staff has their required number of training hours so that when we reapply for our QRS rating next summer it will all be up to date and we can maintain our level 4.  

Public Relations/Marketing & Development:

1. I worked with Rich and Shelly, to complete a full page ad that will run in a how to insert in the paper.  Our page will be How to Pick a Preschool.  We are hoping that this insert will generate some additional enrollment for St. Paul preschool as well as Fort Madison.

Building Updates-

1. As of July 1, 2010 there will be a $15 fee for all background checks done on our employees.  These background checks need to be done every 2 years.  I will make sure that all background checks are completed before the deadline so that we will hopefully not have to pay anything until 2012. 
2. We sent out parent surveys at the beginning of April and have requested that they be turned in by the 15^th of May.  So far all of the comments listed on the surveys have been positive.

Fort Madison:

1. On May 27^th we are giving the students and parents the opportunity to visit and experience what West Point will be like next year. Pat Hollister has agreed to drive the bus to West Point for the incoming kindergarten students, their parents, and the incoming 1^st grade students from Fort Madison. 
2. Beginning on August 2^nd the daycare will be opening at 6:30am to accommodate more families.  We have current families as well as prospective families that have to find alternative care for the mornings because our center does not open early enough for them to get to work.
3. I am currently looking for an administrative assistant for the ECC building.  The hours of this position would be 7:00am - 11:00am.  Collecting payments for the ECC building and answering the phones would be among some of the duties of this position.

St. Paul:

1. I sent in the Children First Grant Application on April 9^th and we will hopefully hear back from them shortly as to the amount in which we were awarded through this grant.  We requested the grant money to cover the associate salary as well as a portion of the preschool teachers' salary. 
2. I am in need of an associate for the St. Paul preschool.  I have had 2 people interested in the position.  I will be interviewing and hiring for the position as soon as possible.

HTC Elementary School Board Report
April 26, 2010
Sara Mohrfeld

Faith Development

1. We continue to have a weekly Mass on Wednesdays at 8:45.
2. Students in grades 4-6 attend Mass at the West Point Care Center the 1^st and 3^rd Thursdays of each month.

Instructional Leadership

1. To help learn more about the Promethean boards there will be a class offered this August for all interested HTC teachers.
2. We are planning to put a board in the 5^th grade room for the next school year.
3. Midterm is Friday, April 30^th; midterms will go home in the following Wednesday folder.

1. Mrs. Peck and the YC Choir (students in grades 4-6) sang at the 10:0 Mass at Sacred Heart on Sunday, April 18^th.  Their next performance will be at St. Mary’s in West Point on Saturday, May 1^st at 5:30.

Student Activities

1. The 6^th grade BTC class held a Career Expo.  They showcased their research on a career they were interested in. 
2. Students in grade 3-6 participated in a handwriting contest sponsored by Universal Publishing- Writing our Catholic Faith.  Kayleigh Beigler, a 4^th grader, was awarded 2^nd place and will receive $100!
3. Students in grades 4-6 are writing essays about what they can do for their Patriotic Duties.  This is sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary.
4. Student in grade k-6 will be participating in various educational field trips; keep an eye on the weekly newsletter and website.
5. The 4^th graders are participating in a Poppy Poster contest.
6. The 5^th graders are participating in a Soil and Water poster contest.

Building

1. We are looking into buzzer systems for the main doors (like the ECC).

HTC Board of Education Report, April 26, 2010

Doris S. Turner, Administrator

Faith Development – 
            1.   We wish Father Apo and Father Troy much success in their new assignments announced for July 1, 2010.  We sincerely thank them for their strong and constant support of our school system during their tenure here.  We will miss you.
           2.      Jan Jacobs, Becky Krogmeier, and myself will attend the Diocesan workshop on the new framework for high school religion in Iowa City on April 27, 2010.
          3.      The priests will be interviewing the HTC Confirmation candidates In the upcoming weeks. Confirmation is May 13.
         4.      The paperwork for the Gavin Audit has been sent to the Diocese.

Professional Development – Donna McVeigh is preparing her final project for the“ Contemporary School Leadership” training  she is receiving.  She has been examining the teaching strategies used in the 7-12 building as well as the use of technology in the classroom.  She has garnered input from faculty and students.  This project will be an on-going part of school improvement and she will report out as she proceeds.  I thank her for her hard work.

2.      Available teachers used the early out on April 21 to fine tune goals for student performance.

3.      The Promethian Board professional development opportunity for HTC Teachers will be August 2 – 6 from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m.

4.      One of the “prizes” from the national recognition of HTC was complete set of  the new “Echoes of Faith” teacher training series, all C.D.’s and training manuals.  This will allow wonderful continued faith Development  training for our teachers without any expense for HTC!!

5.      We continue to work on Iowa Core and 21^st century skill implementation.  Conversations with the various departments as to course curricula alignment, resources necessary, etc. are on-going.

Instructional Leadership, Programs – I received the materials for the Diocesan Assessments at the Diocesan principals meeting last week.  These assessments are the second assessment that we use to report to the State of Iowa for yearly reports.  They are given at the 5^th, 8^th, 11^th level for Math, 4^th, 8^th for science, and 4^th, 8^th, 11^th for reading.  The score sheets are sent to Davenport and we receive a report for our school, as well as for the other schools in the Diocese. The window for giving these assessments is April 26 – May 3.

2.      The Spring BEDS report is due to the State by June 1.  We will not be able to certify data entered until May 10.  This is the document that reports graduation rates, attendance, major discipline, etc.

3.      The students have entered their course requests for next year into our JMC program.  Donna McVeigh, Linda Reding, and I are working on teacher assignments, etc.

4.      I asked the teachers that were present at the April 21 meeting to write down the number of years that they have been employed by Catholic schools including the 2010 – 2011 school year.  This will allow us to examine any issues with “frozen” years and determine if there is an action that the Board would take now or in the future.  It also clarifies number of years for the “Catholic” service that HTC recognizes.

5.      The class of 2010 has attended various extra sessions with their core teachers in AP math, and also attended group sessions with staff on Saturday, April 10 (8 a.m. – 1 p.m.) and with senior classroom teachers Wednesday, April 21 (1 – 6 p.m.)  The senior class teachers have assured me that they are able to meet required core course objectives and are prepared to graduate.

Public Relations/Parent Involvement – We had a very successful and enjoyable Prom on Friday night.  Thank you to Lisa Gendron and Natalie Sandoval-Uloa (prom faculty sponsors) and the junior parents for their hard work to make it a lovely evening for the dance and post-prom event.  I would also like to thank Father Apo, Father Spring, and Father Troy for attending.  Father Beckman was unable to attend because he was having dinner with Bishop Amos. (We hope you had a good dinner and put in a good word for HTC!)

2. Tom Gregg and I have met with some parents to address how we can have our students become more visible in the parishes.  We will continue to develop these plans and have put some specifics into place already.
3. At this point we have 16 possible new students for the 2010 – 2011 school year.   The visits to Keokuk Catholic School by our students and Shelley Sheerin and the visit by their students and their principal went nicely.  We have students from other districts looking at HTC and families new to the area looking.  We will be planning marketing for this Spring. 
4. The Spring alumni newsletter went out Easter week.  Good job!
5. The vocal music small group competitions won 41 Division I ratings.

FYI – Other topics:   Brad and Ray will report out on buildings/ repairs, etc.  I have mailed the corporate resolution for the gym floor and will mail the resolution for the 7-12 roof after tonight’s meeting.  I have emailed Mgsr. Hyland and he is expecting them.

A letter will be mailed to senior parents on April 26 which will delineate the important dates, details, etc. for the seniors and their families these last few weeks of school.  We congratulate the senior class and thank them for their hard work to our schools and parishes during their education at HTC.  We also thank the parents of the Class of 2010 for their dedication to Catholic education and their sacrifice to see that this accomplishment was possible for their teenager.

         We will read into the minutes the names of the certified personnel who have signed and returned their contracts as of April 26.  There are two teachers who have asked for extended time and I have granted it.  The non certified personnel names will be read at the May meeting.

         Baccalaureate and Graduation are May 23, 2010.  I invited all teachers (pre-K – 12) to march in with our seniors on this important day in their lives.  The ECC and elementary faculty are certainly an important part of their education.  As you recall this was a suggestion from our More, Same, Less input.  

            We will use our national award as a marketing tool and also as part of resumes, etc. for future grant-writing.

           I have been asked by some junior parents to look at the Prom being held on a Saturday.  We know that we must incorporate Mass attendance in some way in any planning that we do. 

The following statement may be used as wording for the make-up work the seniors have done for the snow absences:

The Holy Trinity Catholic Schools Board of Education declares the graduating class of 2010 has fulfilled the necessary requirements to receive a Holy Trinity Catholic Schools, Inc. diploma for the 2010 – 2011 school year.